Acacia Food & Wine

It had been a long time since we had been to this restaurant. We always liked it but had some bad experiences so we stopped going. We decided to give it another try. It took a long time, 30 minutes, for our appetizer to arrive. Had to ask for silverware. Entrees showed up 10 minutes later, they just placed them & left. I had to flag down someone for another drink. No mid meal check but the check arrived without asking. Our waitress was lovely but busy. The outdoor dining area is very nice. Forgot to mention that two of the cheeses we wanted they were out of along with the wine we wanted. Doubt we will go back

Service and food were spotty. Some dishes moderately good, others moderately poor. Place wasn't busy but service was very slow and waiter had to be summoned and reminded several times.

This neighborhood restaurant really tries hard. The food isn’t terribly imaginative but there are a few strong staples on the menu. The chef needs to up his game but the food is okay and the service is excellent. They really want to please. Sit outside when the weather permits.

Great food and wine selection. Sat outside and enjoyed a nice dinner with family

Great small plates and an impressive wine list. Nice to sit outside on a beautiful evening.

Good neighborhood place for getting together with friends if you don't like the hustle-bustle of downtown.

Food and wine were good. For me the negatives were no vegetables included with the entree and no bread offered. Having said that, we did not ask for bread, so I don't know if it would have been available if we had asked.

Uninspired menu, at least one dish was inedible, and service was poor.

strange place with a weird vibe
empty but was a monday
servers were probably 15 years old
food was eh
not fresh - even the special

It has been a while since we ate here, and once again we were reminded of how good this restaurant is. I highly recommend it for its cuisine, service and ambiance.

This is a lovely restaurant near UDC. The wine list was very nice, the menu was varied but not too extensive, and the ambiance quite lovely. There were only two servers, the waiter and the bartender, but they were attentive and kept the pace of the meal pretty smooth. At the end, they presented us with a glass of port, which was nice. The crème brulee was so delicious!

Wanted to listen to Jazz and have a nice dinner. Met expectations!

My husband and I were eager to try out this establishment for a last minute date night, we tend to frequent places where there is great wine, vegan food, and live jazz. I wasn't disappointed when we arrived, the music was amazing, the decor modern, and classy, and we were seated quickly, ( I made reservations prior). The hostess chose a table for us, which was nice but only ideal to me, unfortunately my husband had his back to the band. After a few minutes of perusing the wine list, we asked a tall gentleman who worked there would it be possible to switch to the table beside us so we both can visually enjoy the band, he hesitated, and relied no. It was a four seat table, so I can understand it being reserved for 4 guests. After an hour or so another couple came in, and they were seated to a two set table behind us, they asked the same tall fellow could they be seated at the 4 seat table beside us, he hesitated but said sure. Now my husband and I both looked confused as to why our requests wasn't granted and theirs was. We decided not to say anything at the time. We thought is it because we were younger than that other couple, (mind you we're in the 40s club), was it because our skin is darker, what? Hmmm I wonder? So for anyone who frequents Acacia food & wine, be mindful.

We had seen Acacia from Connecticut Avenue a few times as we drove by. On the night we went, we had been searching OpenTable for "Mediterranean" and when we got to Acacia, we each (separately) thought "That menu looks fantastic!" so when we each weighed in it was a no-brainer. It was too chilly to dine outside, but we can't wait for warm weather again. Their outside is rather nicely appointed and looks fantastic! Inside, at first we were afraid that the band, which was getting set up, would be too loud, so we requested a table toward the back. As it turns out, the band was first of all, excellent, and secondly, performed at a volume level appropriate for their space. It was an outstanding addition to the ambiance. By the way, the live music is every Saturday. Dinner was wonderful. The appetizers alone, while not always easily shared, were creative and well prepared. Our entrees were equally well prepared, mine in particular, the black and blue filet mignon, was excellent. The staff was excellent. Everyone contributed and were attentive without being overbearing. Hannah, our primary server, was wonderful. The manager also recommended a wonderful bottle of wine, Taplin Cellars Terra9, which accompanied most of our mains perfectly. We've lived in DC for over 30 years and often find ourselves looking for new digs. Acacia definitely was a fortunate new find for us!

Worst service I have ever had at a restaurant. Food was ok. Not returning.

My husband I I brought my mother, who is 84 and hard of hearing, to Acacia on Saturday night. Much as I enjoy live music, I was dismayed to see a jazz trio letting up, as we arrived, because I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to hear each other speak. The staff quickly sized up the situation and led us to the patio, where we sat in a gentle summer breeze, listening to muted but still enjoyable jazz in the background, and conversing over delicious bison kebabs, glazed salmon, vegetables, and salads. It was a delightful evening in an unexpected oasis in the city.

Acacia used to be one of my favs but about five years ago the chef left and it has never really recovered. It’s OK but nothing special.

Ambiance and service were lovely as always. But Mediterranean fish entree (fried fish ?) was a little strange . Kale salad was wonderful. Waitress was lovely

A little pricey, but great food. Loved the calamari - light, crisp and tender with tasty aioli. Amazing jazz combo performing.

Ive always gone for the food and the ambience but now there's jazz every Saturday night so I expect to be a regular!

Acacia Food & Wine is an unfortunately (fortunately for me because I can seating) neighborhood gem on Connecticut Avenue, a stone throw away from the Van Ness Metro station and UDC. The bistro style restaurant, owned by Uzi Turker offers more than 70 wines and a menu ranging from generously-sized (and modestly priced) mezze plates to full dinners that are, like the lemon chicken sized for two (or lunch tomorrow). Everything I tasted thus far is super fresh prepared and delicious for someone like me who loves Mediterranean cuisine. On balmy summer nights, my friends and I love sitting outside - listen to the traffic go by and taking our time enjoying our meals and drinks. Just like in Europe. No pressure by the staff to eat and go. Love their special events like wine-tastings, and increasingly more live jazz events.

Terrible.Steaks were ordered med rare but came well done and watteryGreek salad was a joke.To top it all they charged me to use a credit card without disclosing this on a$120.tab.Fool of an owner The waitress Hannah was awesome.She can come to work for me.Dont go there He is ripoff.

It was a lovely dining experience. Service was good and the food was good also. What was so nice is that we had time to catch up, without being rushed. We could talk without having to raise our voices. dining outside under an overhang, was the best!

One of my very favorite restaurants, presided over by Turker the owner with care. Best place in the Van Ness neighborhood.

This is a favorite neighborhood spot. The food is consistently wonderful. The wine choices are varied and pleasing. The outdoor seating area is far enough away from the street, so it's a joy to sit there. We have never been disappointed.

We were there for a birthday dinner. The staff had apparently mislaid the reservation (made less than an hour beforehand), but smilingly found the two of us a four-top on a very busy evening. I might add that the fact that all the tables were full did not make the dining area annoyingly noisy, despite the proximity of the bar. I can personally recommend the apricot and lemon chicken, similar to a tajine. The wine list is extraordinary. Service is friendly but a bit awkward. The manager, however, keeps an eye on things and at one point repaired a bit of staff neglect. A worthy competitor to the somewhat more soigné Sfoglina, with its more limited menu, across the street.

Great neighborhood restaurant with a primarily Italian focus. While there are a few pizza choices, the other alternatives are very inviting. And very tasty!

We are regulars at this well-run restaurant. There are gluten-free options. The wine selection is excellent. The host / owner is delightful and treats every guest as a friend. We can't recommend this place highly enough!

Wonderful creative food and lovely ambiance!
Moussaka was delicious.
Generous happy hour also.

The dinner was for 4, not 3 as indicated in email. It was a little noisy, but when we asked that the sound be lowered, that was done.

They didn’t have our reservation confirmed, the bartender was rude and the whole restaurant staff seemed weeded even though they weren’t that busy. There are too many good restaurants for them not to get their service on point. The food was excellent, service not so much.

Great watering hole for wine and beer to meet neighbors far and near. If you live nearby, you'd be wise to join us for good conversation. If driving, park on the street, you'd be wise to take bus or metro.

I was recommended this restaurant in my neighborhood. However, the wait staff (one woman, seemed to be Russian. Since she was young, these were not Soviet slovenly ways) made the experience unpleasant.
- she slathered mayo on my sandwich without checking
- she spilled water, while pouring, and didn’t clean it up, until we asked her to!
- she had an indifferent, bored, aspect, and seemed to find us, the only customers, annoying

I have been to Acacia several times and usually enjoyed it but this time everything was off. It was a quiet evening with few people in the restaurant but to my surprise they had already run out of the lamb special. So I hastily ordered a strip steak with Brussels sprouts. It was awful! The meat was full of inedible gristle everywhere I cut it, and the Brussels sprouts were burned to a crisp. So mainly I just ate the mashed potatoes. My friend ordered the tuna special and instead they gave her trout. They forgot about my husband’s order of trout. It occurred to me that what they really forgot was my friend’s tuna. My husband and I ordered a mushroom tart as appetizer. It came smothered with very tough cooked greens (I guess kale) hiding what didn’t look like a mushroom tart underneath. It was just mush.

The wine and tiramisu were good and the owner was very nice, but I don’t think I will go back to this restaurant again after my very disappointing dinner.

Tasty food and great portions! Come hungry.

The waiter was very inexperienced and slow. The food was awful. Over cooked or cold. Will not return

This is my favorite neighborhood restaurant. They are also very good neighbors - always involved & supportive in the community. This was an old friends' gathering, and we savored a quiet table outside under the grape leaves on a Friday night - a rare find!! Plus parking is very simple.

Stopped by for happy hour with a friend last week and had a lovely two-hour chat accompanied by a delicious meal. Loved the ambiance — especially the outdoor seating — and the service was excellent. My only complaint was that the restaurant only served happy hour at the bar (which was full) and the front section of outside seating, which was all reserved, so we had to move away from the stunning outdoor area in order to order off the happy hour menu, which I thought was a pretty lame rule. Yummy burgers and hummus, though, and great drink prices!

Always reliable, with a great menu of small plates.

The restaurant was empty which seemed odd for a Saturday evening with great weather. We ordered 2 fish entrees. The fish in both was cooked well & flavorful. The accompaniments for both dishes were disappointing though edible. Our waiter seemed inexperienced so we were glad it was a slow night.